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About Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 3, 1886)
' ' itTTIS' ' VOL.. XVIII. OREGON PIONEER HISTORY. 3KCTCHE31 OP IEARLY DAYS. -MEN AN, TIMES IN THE FORTIES. DY S. A CLAtlKE. CapyiUht applleJ far. All rUlfll retctvel. NUMBKIl XXXI. Oar Men Undo Sam. Among Inter settlors thcru wad n mini named Wood, who wfflt to Dr. Mc Loughlm for n Bimilnr outfit when thoy attempted somo yenrfl later (in 1811) to mako tho socoml expedition to Califor nia nftor cnttlo for Oregon eottlors. Tho doctor ngain objected, and Wood, who wnB no weakling snid: "Doctor, you carry matters with a high hand now, but it won't last always. 1'vo got an undo that, rich 'as you arc, is able to buy your grcnt company out and pcvcral moro such, and ho will conio along hero aonio day when you nin't thinking of him and will astonish you." "Tut, tut, Mr. Wood; who is this undo of your's that is so rich?" said the astonishod doctor, who didn't by any moans tako in tho idea. "Why, thoy call him Undo Sam, and ho is liablo to como up hero looking after us fellows' who aro his folks' most any time, and when ho does ho may teach you not to carry thing too high." Tho doctor could sco tho point then. Fivo years previously Lioutonant Sin com had been sont by tins samo "Undo Sam" to look aftor his "folks" on tho Columbia, and had emancipated tho Bottlers from tho Hudson's Hay Com pany's cattlo monopoly. That was lesson number one, and tho second lesson wan soon to follow tho rather amusing rcmonetranco oll'ercd by Sir. Wood. Trying to Build a Schooner. Tho cntorpriso in which Wood was engaged was certainly a romnrkabloono for such a community to undertake. Sinco lSIHI tho seventeen settlers had increased somewhat, but not to any groat number Ah yet thcro had been no regular immigration, but tho material on hand was enterprising. Somo ono suggested tho scheme of building a small vessel for any use or trado that might offer, and tho scheme was entered on by It. L. Kilborn (who camo with Kwing Young), Charles Watts, Pleasant Armstrong, H. Wood, John Green and George Davis. They employed Felix JIatlmwny as head carponter, procured a whip saw and other tools from tho mission, and procured iron and spikes from Vancouvor on tho pretense that thoy intendod to build a ferryboat to uso on tho Willamette. Ropes thoy secured, to somo extent, by inducing French farmers to buy thorn on pre tonso that thoy were uecdod to mako tho Dutch harness used in plowing. At tho first suggestion of such a schomo Dr. Mclaughlin had opposed it When Wood intimated it, tho doctor said : "Tut, tut, Mr. Wood, you would all bo drowned in it, fpr you could not build a seaworthy vessel." Tho doctor had a happy way of saving their lives every timo any of the. would-be boat-builders wanted assistance. '-Tut, Tut. Youll AU be Drowned. And I'll not bo a party to tho transac tion," was his chief nrgument, and it was in rejoinder to such an assertion that Wood quoted his undo to him. Sure enough, it was not long beforo Uncle Sam put in his second appear ance on tho Columbia, in tho guiso of a -naval officer, and tho worthy doctor re ceived his second lesson in American statesmanship and its resulting provi dence. It was while theso ship builders were waiting for something to turn up in their favor that Commodoro Wilkes of the American exploring expedition camo into tho Columbia. He was ap pealed to by the ship building company and examinod their craft, which was in progress of construction on Ross island, abovo Portland. When Dr. McLough- SALEM, OREGON, FRIDAY, lin asked Wilkes if tho vessel theso men wcro building was Btrong enough to mako tho voyngo to 8an Francisco, he replied: "Yes, it i- stout enough to doublo Capo Ilorn." This Bilcnccd the doctor, nud as Commodoro Wilkes of fered to assist thorn from his naval stores, tho Hudson's Bay Company could not refuso them such further as sistanco as thoy needed. Tho vessel was complotcd and sailed with a clear auco furnishwl by Commodoro Wilkos to San Francisco, under the command of Captain Joseph (Jalo, who was nn old timo cemniandor. Tho object of tho voyngo was to purchano more cattlo and stock for tho Oregon settlements, and it entirely succeeded. Tho schooner was so highly appre ciated thero that it was traded oil' for throo hundrod and fifty cows. Quito a nuiubor wont down in tho schooner to mako stock purchases and parties tlioro gained in tho enterpriso and camo to Oregon with cattlo so that something like fourteen hundrod hoad wcro driven northward nnd ndded to tho stock in terests of Oregon. Among others who becamo iutorosted in stocking Oregon pastures was a Mr. Lease, who had a band of sovon hundrod shocp in Call fomia tliat attracted tho nllontion of theso early Argonauts from tho""Coium bin river. Whon thoy had becomo ac quainted with Mr. I.oaso thoy labored with success to pcrsuado him that it would bo to his udvantngo to diivo a good part of his baud to Oregon in their company. Ho drovo threo hun dred and fifty of his sheep to Oregon, and most of them wero quietly bought, at a good pneo, by tho Hudson's Hay Company, which shows that tho great monopoly was keenly alive to its best inlorcEts. Thoir monopoly afterwards included sheep, as well oh other stock. J. L. l'arrish says Loaio was n man of vory imposing presence, in fact tho handsomest man ho over saw. Having disposed of his tdieep in Orogon ho "re turned to his mutton" in California, but Orcgou had tho benefit of his enterprise, for McLoughlin was liberal in exchnngo of Htock favors. Undo Sam's Nephew Borrow Venlaon. A "littlo story" concerning Wood, whoso Undo Ham was held up to terror ize tho chief factor of the II. II. Co., ns before stated, will bo in place, as ehow inc what manner of men thoy wero who camu to Oregon before tho day of immigrations commonced. He wus per sonally as independent as ho was brave. It is relatod that ho was once driving an ox team in the woods, and when loaded up with a hugo sawlog saw n cougar, or panther, leap from a treo on a deer und cut its throat. Wood left his toam, piokod up a fir limb from tho ground, drovo tho panther away by blows from his weapon and throwing tho deer's carcass over his shouldor started on with his sawlog. Mr. Mclaughlin could not well frighten such n man with a predic tion that ho would bo drowned. Death of Col Nell aultam I alluded last wcok to Col. Gilliam joining tho volunteers and having a company in tho Cnyuso war. I will givo n singlo cpisodoof that war in con clusion. A man namod Evans was driving a wagon as tho troops wore re turning to Tho Dalles after having finished their campaign in tho upper country and vanquished all the savagos thoy could bring to a battle-field. Col. Gilliam was trying to pull a ropo out of this wagon, when they had noarcd Tho Dalles, and a gun that was in tho wagon was in somo way exploded, tho chargo striking the colonol in tho fore head. This story is told in different ways, and only last year two men, who wcro close by ot tho time, disagreed very radically. Ono claimed that tho gun was purposely discharged by a man who was commonly called "Califor nia," and tho otiier asserted, it was an vv.uv,. v,ium ... u.ui mo gUn nua umui,ivi unit mu urue mm goou Col. Gilliam was killed by iU They wcro roturning from n successful cam paign nnd this tcrriblo accident Bprcad sorrow and consternation throughout tho ontiro command. No Supplies Lelt. They bollovod thoy could do no more, and Col. Gilliam was coming down to tho Willamctto to consult with tho gov ernor and sco his family. Thoy had neither a stack of provisions or of am munition to keep up tho campaign, and further effort was worse than useless without those. Thoy had killed Indian cattle, or, in fact, nny oattlo they found roaming nt large, taking Indian stock in profcrenco if it could bo had. Thus thoy had subsisted, butmich Hiipply was moat uncertain, and might not bo avail ablo if tho Cayusos should drivo oil' all tho stock and sot liro to tho bunch grass. 81iaw was a lioutcn.int in Capt. Low Knglish'fl company, but whon this sorrowful accident occurred, ho being a brother-in-law of tho deceased, took chargo of his remains to convoy them to his family. Whon ho arrived at Oregon City ho opouod tho box and ex amined thoj-cmnins, nnd wan glad to find that tho body was yet perfect, so it was determined to send tho curpso homo to his family for burial. His home was in Polk county, near Dallas, niul'thUhur tho sad funeral cortego wcudod its way. Burial or Col. allium. Thero was n plaintive j&rrow in the old veteran's tones as ho wont on to de scribe tho journey towards Gilliam's homo and tho meeting with bin family. His expressions were in a quaint but homespun stylo that may bo by-gono, but it seemed to rati very afl'octing. Said he "That was tho blackest day Hilly Shaw ever saw in this world when tlint Indyand iNoil Gilhnms body met I have seon sorrow and griofiin many jhapes, but nover did I hco people who grieved ho terribly and hopolessly as his wifo nnd childron did at thoir Iohs. I nover saw tho liko, nor want to ngain. It madu my heart throb mid almost ehoked me. I thought a groat doal of Gilliam myself, nud thcro I naw what a good and kind man he must have been at home It wns.short notice they had of our coming, but I counted KJO procont His wife stood it bravely un til they legan to throw in the dirt, nnd then cue went frantic." Among the special premiums ottered by tho officers of tho Mnino State Agri cultural Society is ono of $10 for tho best exhibit of ncedlu and fancy work oxocutcd by a girl 20 years of neo or under, and another of tho same amount to tho boy 18 years of ago andjunder who makes tho largoit nud best exhibit of farm products grown on tho farm whero ho linn worked tho presont poason. Tho exhibit to bo conlinod to a spaco not exceeding 20 square feet at tho Ex hibition hall. Koiae More Hulea "I find," said a prominent fanner tho other day, "thnt mules aro much cheap or for a gonoral purpose toam on tho farm than hon.es." "A good spun of mules," he ndded, "will do as much work an a span of good hornos, and it does not require nearly as muoh to koep them in good condition as it does tho horses." In reply to a question in regard to their viciousnesa ho said, "Tho mule of to-day has becomo civilized. Thoy aro as gentlo nnd docile as horses. Sinco they have becomo so far removed from their Spanish ancestors thoy par- tako largely of tho good and gentlo qualities of the side of tho horse." Our fanners bhould evidently raiso moro mules. Tho gloomy fenw, desnoridiuK views. and weariness, that many complain of. would disappear wero tuo blood made nuro nnd healthy beforo rcacbini: the delicate vessels of tho brain. Ayer's Sanuqurilla purifies and vitalizes the Uood. tbua promoting health of body ana sanity 01 minii. SEPTEMBER 3, 1886. A Oreat Europsan War Probable. Under date of August 'M tho Now York Times' London correspondent tel egraphs; To-night I learn details of what tho world is likely to loam, much to its intorest, within u few days. Tho conclusion my informant draws from it is that tho groat wnr of tho century Ih close nt hand. Tho facts como in part from a gentleman who had dined nt Jugcrhoim with Hnmbcrgor's father on Saturday night, and In part from a diplo mat temporarily here for tho purpose of consultation. At tho Franzcnbad inter view M. Dogiers urged l'rinco Hismnrck earnestly toprovont l'rinco Alexander's roturn to Bulgaria. Hismnrck declined to commit himself, took tho matter ad referendum 'nnd shortened tho intorviow most abruptly, and n great amount of tolegraphing to Vienna, London and Constantinople ensued. Whether M. Dogiers got an answer before his uiiox pocledly hasty departure is not known, but tho roHult was that l'rinco Alexander was not retrained from goiiiK to Hul- gariu. It is believed to bo certain that tho pressure of Germany, Austria and Kng land has gained Turkoyovcr onco moro, and that tho porto wilt nuthorizo l'rinco Alexander as tributary princo to enter Macedonia, subduo it nnd incorporate it as a part of his dominions held under tho porte, with n view of tho eventual formntiou of the kingdom of Hulgaria. Against this plan is sot the prnclicnl certainty that Itussia will nttamptjto occupy Hulgnrin, when sho will be re sisted by Turkey, Itoumnnin, Hulgnrin nnd Austria. This will enable Germany to hold aloof, keep Franco in uwo nnd satisfy tho Kniser, whoo scruples have long delayed n collision between the Teuton nnd tho Muscovite. My'jnfor- mum iny grew. nirtM upon uiOHiroiigtu nud biifileioney of theso scruples, but be lieves the K'uisor, in wrnth at the pirat ical indignity olfored l'rinco Aloxnndor, lion consented to lot Austria nnd Turkoy undertako tho tnBkof chastisement. Short and heated diplomatic work is coming. Ihiglnnd is boliovcd to bo ready to assume tho lead, nnd it is far moro probablo than it was Saturday that eventually the will tako a hand in tho tight. It is a serious fact that tho most trusted men in tho Hritish foreign service beliovo to-night that war is inev itable. Two war correspondents on Loudon pupers start for Hulgaria to morrow. The Honey Crop Short la the Mountain! Mr. II. W. I'ftllw, of Meliariia, was in the city thin week, and from him we learn that thero is a short crop of honey in his section. In fact, ho suys ho will have to feed his bees, whcronH ho should havo had an immense surplus. He had counted upon his Ikmm niding him in a finnncinl manner, hut thoy do not re spond. Ho says there has been no swoeU", from somo causo or other, in blooms of the various kinds of flora, bo sidoi tho entire absence ot honey-dow throughout his i-oetinn. Ah he lives in tho Cascade rnnge on the Snntiam, the question naturally arises, in such tho case throughout tho foot-hill regions of tho Cascades! Will Messrs. K. S. Hrook, D. Kuuflinan, K Y. Chase, 0. K. Hos kinH, J. I). Itunk und othors send in im mediately their observations on tho sub ject Tho npariau industry is a new but growing one in this state, and under tho fostering caro of such men as wo men tion abovo will lxi an assured success-. Information is desired, and our columns aro open for a liberal discussion of tho subject. Near n publia road, whore hoes might interfere with teams passing, it is n good plan to havo tho apiary in a grove of small trcos, and compel tho bees to fly straight up, for when thoy aro onco high up in tho air they will nover bother to como down to annoy anything. Pure drugs at Fort's. NO. 30. Putting Away Potatoes Every method has been tried by far mers tostoro and preserve their potatoes through winter, and wo may say until potatoes como again. It is the most val uable of all vegetables, though hero and thero wo find a person and n writer who undertakes to tell us of its unwholo someucss. It is universally consumed in all civilized countries, as whero it can not bo grown it is imported, which can bo dono long distances without ininrv when ventilation is nttended to. In storing potatoes sovoral methods are adopted, as they aro all practically tho same, tho object being to protect thorn from freezing, whether buried in pit) or stored in cellars. Tho first con sideration is to keep them in perfect darkness, tho next is tho bins should not bo too deep not ovor three feet to produce warmth and caiiBO them to sprout. Whon stored in tho fiold, straight trenches nro dug, Bny twenty, fivo feet in length and four or fivo wido which nro filled to tho denth of throo feet with potatoes, then well covered with straw, on lop of which put eigh teen or twenty inches of earth. In a pit twenty feet long thero Hhould bo about three gas csenpos or ventilating openings, which should bo plugged with Btmw nnd covered with u board set nt right nnglo to turn tho rnin. It in cellars, barns or otherwise, the bins should bo covered with nigs, old enrpctingtt or straw. Those intended to bo kept for Into spring sales should ho frequently examined nnd nil sprouts removed ; for ns soon as n iKitnto begins to sprout it loses its solidity. Exchange. Bran for Oattlo. A very interesting exporimont is now being made on the stock farm of 0. A. I'ray, near MinneupoliH, to test tho nc luiil value of bran as food forcnttle. Tho test is being made on 15 thrco-yenr old "scrub" Btcors, and after about one month's trial the following rejwrt wns mndo Arer(a iltlly intlon cl trail to tuh on- , ' 11 Ihi OIL.y . 10 Ibi AsttiLKO llly Kiln . . S IU. Cot ptr ounil ol Kl" It eti The eiittlo hnvo had nothing but the bran, hay, water and salt, tho lost two as they desired. Tho feed has been given regularly, night nud morning, slightly heavier rations mornings than evenings. IIchuUs of this kind in con nection with tho demonstrated valuo of manure from brun should recoivu tho Bonous attention of our fnrmcrs, nnd miggcitt a diversity of fanning which will nt onco augment profits nud retain mo tenuity oi tno larms. Elihty-flve Buabeli to the Acre J. L. Hallctt, of Dilley, reports n yield of cighty-fivo bushels of wheat to tho ncro on twenty-two acroj of beaver dam laud. Tho story is duly attested by the affidavits of the ontiro crow of threshers. Mr. Hallett, writing to the Hillsboro Independent, says- "This field was sowed the last of October, 1885, two bushels to tho acre, of 'Old White Winter wheat.' I kept it pas tured down until about the middle of May." Ho adds, by way of postscript . "My now machino threshed lOOObushols ot tuo camo wheat in just four hours." It is probablo thnt this will nrovo the champion harvest story of tho State for mo your loan. Reduction works at Portland In an ad vanced step for Oregon, of which her people ought to feel proud. It is to bo hoped thnt littlo oro hereafter will bo shipped to Omaha from tho Northwest. If properly worked, this will mako Fort land a big city. In order to keep cuch hive up to its fullest capacity tho bee-keeper must pro vldo plenty of comb-foundation in order to lesson tho work to bo performed, and sow such crops as will nfibrd honey later in tho season, whon tho (lowers havo fin ished blooming. We recommend Fort's condition powder.